Fluid pressure system



@cii. 24%, 1939. R NARDQNE 2,377,,Q441- FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM Filed Oct.50, 1837 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Romeo M ardone Gd. 24, 1939. R. M. NARDONE mvmw FLUID PRES SURE SYSTEMFiled Oct. 30, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .96 t 29 97 H 1 -h 94 a i 3.2 V 724 23 A. [3/ 26 X Z/ IN VEN TOR.

Romo M Nardone reamed r. at. rate UNHTE STTES amt ATENT @FFHQE air-metmum rnassnnn SYSTEM Romeo M. Nardone, East Grange, N. 1., asngnor toEclipse Aviation Coration, East Orange, N. 3., a corporation oi New.l'ersey Application (Dctober 3t), 1937, Serial No. 172,0M

r oi. (oi. eat-414 as is commonly termed a cartridge.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel cartridge housing andbreech mechanism, including a novel valve mechanism controllingadmission of a scavenging supply of fiuid to the l parts with which theoutlet conduit of the breech mechanism has communication. Another objectis to provide an interrelationship between such valve mechanism andcertain movable elements of the breech assembly, where- 5 by thescavenging action is caused to occur atv a predetermined stage in thecycle of operation. These and other objects of the invention will becomeapparent from inspection of the following specification when read withreference to i the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated thepreferred embodiment of the invention. It is to m expressly understood,however, that the dra are for the purpose of illustration only, and arenot designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, referencebeing had to the appended claims for this purpose. I

In the drawings the invention is shown as applied to the operation of aservo-motor (engine starter, for example, of the type shown in PatentNo. 2,117,225 of Fred A. Stein, granted May it, 1938) symbolizing anypart to be served by the breech and valve mechanisms above described.

Reierrjing to said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view oi. the complete system, including a sectional showingof the breech mechanism, engine starter, and valve mechanism, the breechbeing shown with the cartridge in position and the igniting mechanismalso in operative position, and the valve being shown as shifted fromthe position it occupies during the scavenging action, and theelectromagnetic shifting means being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a second view of the breech and valve mechanisms, the partsbeing shown in the positions they occupy during scavenging;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view-of the igni mechanism shown inFig. i, but on a larger scale, and with the igniting plunger in theposition which it occupies whenever the breech is in the unlockedposition of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse view of certain of the parts as seen along theline 4-4! of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse view along the line of Fig. 2 showing details ofthe locking and exhaust valve operating mechanism.

The cartridge ii is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as containing a relativelyslow burning powder 82 occupying a major portion 01 the space within 5the cartridge and separated. from a layer it of a highly combustibleprimer charge by an in-' tervening partition it of suitable materialsuch as cellulose. The primer charge it is in turn confined in advanceof a strip it of current conto ducting metallic material bent into theshape indicated so that one portion thereof lies along the outer metalcap H which extends over the end of the cartridge and along itscylindrical side for a certain distance, as indicated at l9, it where itfirmly grips the non-metallic portion of the cartridge casing. Anotherportion of strip it lies in the path of the conical end of a plunger Mof current conducting material, said plunger having a head 22 adapted tobe urged forward as by a coiled spring 23, the plunger being slidablewithin a sleeve 26 of non-conducting material which in turn slideswithin the boss 2% of the breech cover plate 27?, the said cover platebeing in two sections, 27 and 28, secured together as indicated at 29.

The means for normally holding the plunger 2! out of position fortransmission of current to the igniting disc l8, and thereby preventingpremature ignition-that is, ignition prior to the locking of the breechmechanismis shown as including an internally threaded sleeve iiioperating upon an externally threaded screw 82 adapted vto'be threadedaxially along guide pins 36 to cause a corresponding axial movement of35 the nonconducting sleeve 26 and thereby to move the head of theplunger 2! from the position indicated in Fig. 1 in response to theturning of the sleeve 30 which results whenever the breech handle ti isswung, such swinging of the handle w being efiective to turn thethreaded sleeve 80 by reason of the inter-engagement of the teeth orsplines it and ill of the members 3!] and. 3t respectively, the latterbeing the central hub portion of the handle ll. 45

A pin 5i secures hub 68 of the handle Gil to the stem 52 or the flag orlatch 53, which thereby swings with the handle All so as to move from alocked to an unlocked position with respect to the dependent leg iii ofthebreech casing m leg ti, together with the toe 68, constitutes thekeeper for the latch or .flag 53 and prevents open- -ing of the breechcover prior to the swinging of the handle to the unlocked position.

A transverse passage i2 serves to connect the chamber 1| with a smaller:chamber I4 wherein is located a coiled spring I6 pressingupon the end 11of rod 82 to yieldably hold said rod 82 in the position shown in Fig. 1,in which position the other end of said rod fits into the depression 83in the forward surface of the flag 53; but after the firing of thecartridge and the swinging of the handle M to the breech unlockingposition the corresponding movement of the flag 53 shifts the positionof the depression 83 from that indicated at 83a (see Fig. 5) to thatindicated at 8317 and thereby creates a cam action which presses the rod82 forward to the position indiated in Fig. 2, in which positioncontacts I24 and I25 are bridged by member I23.

After the handle M has thus been moved to the lock releasing positionthe sectional breech cover 21 and 28 may be swung to the breech openingposition about the supporting trunnion 94 in which the hinged portion 95of the breech cover plate is rotatably mounted, as indicated at 96. Thisswinging of the cover plate will operate to eject or at least dislodgethe cartridge by reason of the intervening parts 91 and 98, the

' former being a toe piece on the hinge 95 engageable with the ejector98 in response to the swinging of the cover plate, and the ejector 98being in turn provided with a flange engaging the forward flange on thecartridge to eject thelatter.

Upon ignition of the priming charge I3, the rapid combustion of the saidpriming charge creates suflicient additional heat to ignite the 'maincharge. I2, which thereupon proceeds to burn at a relatively slow.rate,to cause a gradual building up of pressure in the chamber II and theconduit I66 leading to the point of application of the pressurethus'generated.

While the resulting pressure may cause a forward movement, to a limiteddegree, of a few particles of the powder I2, combustion of virtually thecomplete charge occurs in the breech chamber; the conduit I66 servingmainly for the transmission of the pressure fluid resulting from suchcombustion, together with those few particles of the powder notconsumed. Any of such particles which collect upon or pass through theslotted cylindrical cage or grid MI in starter I04 will subsequently beblown out of the engine starting mechanism, along with Y, any residualgases, by the scavenging action,

hereinabove referred to and to be described presently in greater detail.

As shown in Fig. l, the cylindrical slotted cage IOI is an integralextension of the externally threaded boss I02 in which the head end 003of the engine starter housing I04 terminates. Within said housing MM isa piston Hi6 provided wtih sealing rings Hill for fluid tightness as thepiston moves along the inner cylindrical surface of the housing Iild inresponse to the passage of the pressure fluid through the slotted cageWI on its way to theworlring chamber I08 of the starting unit. In itsnormal position-' that is, the position indicated in Fig. 1-the pistonWe operates to hold valve III firmly seated on the valve seat formed inthe cover plate M2, such seating being effected against the oppositionof the coiled compression spring M3 and-by reason of the fact thatpiston Itiii engages the end of the valve stem M4 as the piston isreturned tmthe position shown; the return of the piston to said positionbeing due to the expanding action of the coiled compression spring flit,which expanding action occurs following the release of the pressurefluid to theexhaust conon the other.

ample, that more fully illustrated and described in the Stein patentabove identified.

When such return stroke of the piston I has been completed (the enginehaving meanwhile been started as a result of the initial rotationimparted thereto through the motion translating connections between thepiston I00 and the engine crankshaft, which connections are onlypartially shown at H9 in Fig. l but are more fully illustrated anddescribed in theabove identified Stein patent) the operator will proceedto release the lock of the breech mechanism preparatory to swinging thecover plate to the open position to allow removal of the remains of thecartridge. As a result of this unlocking movement the rod 82 is shiftedto the left of the position shown in Fig. 1, the shifting being producedby reason of the cam action of the flag 53 upon the rounded end of therod as it moves the latter out of depression hereinbefore described.

This longitudinal movement of the rod 02 is sufllcient to carry thecontactplate I23 into engagement with the stationary contacts I24 andI25, whereupon a circuit is completed to energize the winding I28 of thesolenoid I21; the circuit passing from the source I28 to said windingI26 by way of conductors I3I, I24, I23, I25 and I32, and returning byway of the ground connections indicated at I33 and I34.

The eifect of the energization of the solenoid I21 in the manner thusdescribed is to cause the solenoid plunger I to be shifted to the 'leftfrom the position indicated in Fig. 1in which position it is normallyheld by the action of coiled compression spring I42 upon the collar I43of the plungerinto the position indicated in Fig. 2, in which positionthe valve II within the valve housing I52 occupies a position whereinfree communication is allowed between conduits I56 and I5! on the onehand and conduits I58 and I 59 c Of these conduits, the first-namedserves to connect the valve chamber ISI with the air pump I62 or othersource of compressed air or equivalent scavenging fluid, while theconduit I5I serves to establish communication between said valve chamberIOI and the passage I2 leading into the forward chamber II of the breechmechanism. Free communication is thus established with the conduit I66leading to the chamber I08 of the engine starter, and between saidchamber I08 and the atmosphere by way of outlet I69, conduit II 50,valve chamber Ill and exhaust pipe I59.

The free path for the scavenging fluid which is thus provided permits ablowing and scavenging action all along said path, and any solidparticles remaining in said path after the engine starting operation,together with the unexhausted gaseous residue are thus carried away andejected to the atmosphere at the terminal of the exhaust pipe I59.

After completion of this scavenging step, the operator will proceed toswing open the now unlocked cover palte, in order to effect removal ofthe spent cartridge. As he does so, the flag is withdrawn from the pathof the rod, whereupon spring 16 snaps said rod lengthwise sufficientlyto reopen the solenoid circuit at the switch I123. Solenoid spring I42then acts to return the valve to the fluid cut-off position of Fig. 1,thus completing the cycle.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a cylinder, having a piston therein, of acartridge firing breech mechanism, means for flring a cartridge in saidbreech mechanism, means for conducting the resulting gases to saidcylinder to move said piston, and means for scavenging said cylinder toremove any gases that may remain after completion of the piston stroke,said last-named means being operative in response to the unlocking ofsaid breech mechanism following flringof' the cartridge.

2. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including abreech mechanism having a cover plate and means for unlocking said coverplate with respect to the breech body, means for introducing ascavenging fluid into said breech mechanism, said introducing meansincluding a valve for connecting the breech chamber with a source ofpressure fluid, and means responsive to unlocking of said cover eratingsaid valve.

3. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including abreech mechanism having a cover plate and means for unlocking said coverplate, means for introducing a scavenging fluid into said breechmechanism, said introducing means including a valve for connecting thebreech chamber and servo-motor with a source of pressure fluid, andmeans responsive to unlocking of said cover plate for operating saidvalve, said valve further serving to vent said servo-motor whereby thescavenging fluid may be evacuated therefrom.

4. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including abreech mechanism, means for introducing a scavenging fluid into saidbreech mechanism, and means for conveying said scavenging fluid to saidservo-motor, said introducing means including a valve for connecting thebreech chamber with a source of pressure fluid, means normally holdingsaid valve plate for op-- in source disconnecting position, andelectromagnetic means for shifting said valve to the connectingposition.

5. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including abreech mechanism having a cover plate and locking means for said coverplate, of means for introducing a scavenging fluid into said breechmechanism and servomotor, said introducing means including a valve forconnecting the breech chamber with a source of pressure fluid, meansnormally holding said valve in source disconnecting position,electromagnetic means for shifting said valve to the connectingposition, a circuit from a current source to said electromagnetic means,and means including said cover plate locking means for operating saidcircuit.

6. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including abreech mechanism, means for introducing .a scavenging fluid into saidbreech mechanism and servo-motor, said introducing means including avalve for connecting the breech chamber with a source of pressure fluid,means normally holding said valve in source disconnecting position,electromagnetic means for shifting said valve to the connectingposition, a circuit from a current source to said electromagnetic means,and means for operating said circuit.

7. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including abreech mechanism having a firing pin, a cover plate, and a lock forfastening said cover plate to the breech body, means including a lockengaging rod for controlling introduction of a scavenging fluid intosaid breech mechanism and servo-motor, and common operating means forsaid firing pin, lock, and lock engaging rod.

ROMEO M. NARDONE.

